FiftyTwo Pickup
by magicmumu
Summary: "If you were willing to brave the storm just to get here, then I know you're sorry. I just... I hope you know that I'm sorry too." Emma/Regina


Fifty-Two Pick Up

by Erin Griffin

Fandom: Once Upon a Time

Pairing: Emma/Regina (Swan Queen/Remma)

Summary: "If you were willing to brave the storm just to get here, then I know you're sorry. I just... I hope you know that I'm sorry too."

One thing about Storybrook was that it rained. Like all the time. Emma had just managed to miss the thunder storm by less than twenty minutes. It helped that her anger at Regina fueled her steps from Henry's school four blocks away, quickening her pace back to the apartment she shared with Mary Margaret. Seeing that her friend wasn't home, she checked her phone or the papers around the phone for a messege letting her know where she was. There wasn't anything until the first roll of thunder sounded. Her phone buzzed with a messege from her roommate stating that Emma needed to find shelter if she hadn't already, and that Mary Margaret was at Granny's with plans to stay there until the bulk of the storm passed through.

Emma turned to head towards her room to change when there was a sharp knock on the door. The sheriff froze. She knew that knock. She heard it on the doors at the station- that was, if there had even been a knock. Emma walked to the door, screwing her face into one of ire as she grabbed the door knob and prepared herself of round two of the fight she had with the mayor only moments before. The sheriff yanked open the door, ready with a quip or a counter attack should Regina strike first, but she was completely thrown off of her guard when she saw the sight before her.

Regina looked nothing like the elegant mayor of Storybrook. The expensive power suit clung desperately to her body, just as her hair did to her forehead. Her skin seemed pale in comparison to the tanned coloring of her hands or the slight red of her angry face. Regina had her head high as she stared at Emma, even as water still ran down her face. "I thought about what you said," Regina announced, her tone only broken by the slight chatter of her teeth.

Taken aback by the sight of the darker woman let alone the words she spoke, Emma didn't respond at first. It had taken almost ten seconds to recall the heated discussion they'd had at the elemtary school earlier that afternoon about not only Henry's trust in Emma, but Regina's as well. What exacty was the lame line she'd used? It was something borrowed from the discussion on Frankenstien when she was in high school, that much she knew. Oh yes, _'You can't treat someone like a monster all their life and then expect them to not act like one.' _Apperently she had, with the follow up of, _'You keep treating me like some horrible person for the mistakes I made when I was young and - hell, I'll never be anywhere near perfect, but I'm trying to do right by Henry,' _she'd said.

Emma was yanked from her thoughts by a shuddering intake of air. "May I come in?" Regina's tone was uncertainty laced with annoyance, and Emma stepped back to allow entrance.

"I'll get you a towel. You shouldn't have gotten that soaked from the car to the door," Emma said once she found her voice. As she went to the closet next to the stairs leading to the bedooms, she heard Regina's reply.

"No..." the older woman said. "Not from my car."

"Where then?"

"Town Hall."

Emma leaned to her left and peered around the corner. You walked from Town Hall to here? In the rain? Where's Henry?" Emma asked. She realized too late that maybe she should have asked that last question first. She had no doubt that it would have been the first thing out of Regina's mouth.

"With the Nolans. David was helping him make an airplane or something? He needs a male role model, and David seems to be the only man in Storybrook that Henry genuiney likes. So, about earlier..."

Emma came back with a couple of towels, which she handed to the older woman. Their fingers overapped both above and below the small stack of material. There was a stirring, as if someone had run a finger along the side of her neck, and Emma took a small step back as Regina gave her a grateful smile. Maybe it was for this reason that she didn't tell Regina that Henry liked David because, according to him and his book, the man was supposed to be Prince Charming and, now that Emma thought about it, married to Snow White. Using Henry's logic, David was his grandfather, and that could have something to do with why he likes him so much. Regina looked as though she was going to say something else, but Emma took another step backwards saying, "Would you like something to drink to warm you up? I can probably find you something to wear while your clothes dry." Emma paused. "I can actually give you your shirt back finally," the sheriff said with a nervous laugh.

"Can that wait? I'm trying to aplologize," Regina said.

Emma shrugged and shook her head. "Look, I know that our situation is... difficult. I don't even know what I've been expecting since I decided to stay in Storybrook. I don't even know what I'd do if I were you. If you were willing to brave the storm just to get here, then I know you're sorry. I just... I hope you know that I'm sorry too." Emma tilted her head and felt the same nerves stirring.

"I know. Thank you," Regina said softly a moment later. There was a silence between them as Regina brought the smaller of the two towels to her hair, which looked almost black wet. Something Emma hadn't expected: it was also curly. It made the younger woman realize how much effort it must take for Regina to pull off her 'bitch in charge' look, from straightening her hair to getting that little flip just right. Not to mention the power suit and makeup. Putting herself together each day was one thing, but she also had Henry to care for as well. As far as Emma could tell, getting help other than the afternoon babysitter wasn't Regina's style, and just thinking about what the other woman's morning routine must have been like made Emma exhausted.

Emma smiled again, this time in a slight parting. She wished Mary Margaret was there. She was a far better hostess than Emma would ever have been, and though there was just as much tension with her as there was with the sheriff, Mary Margaret would have found a way to keep a polite conversation going. Emma went up to her room for the promised shirt as well as a pair of sweat pants. When the lights flickered, she hurried to get her roommate's supply of candles. When she returned, she said, "I'll make some tea and you can get changed before the power goes out." Regina nodded and then reached for the clothes. The two women's fingers overapped again, and at least on Emma's part, it was intentional. Emma turned on her heel to try and get her task done as she heard heels of Regina's shoes click on the tiles of the bathroom without having been given direction. Emma didn't want to know how Regina knew her way around Mary Margaret's house.

About five minutes later, a few things happened all at once. The tea kettle whistled, the lights went out, there was a yelp followed closely by a crash, and a door opened with a bang against the wall. "Sheriff Swan?" Regina asked, feeling her way along the wall towards the kitchen. At first there was no reply. With concern this time, the mayor asked, "Emma?"

"Candle candle candle," came a chant in the dark, until there was a strike of a match and a sigh of relief. Two candles now lit, Emma looked to Regina sheepishly.

"I'm assuming you're uncomfortable in the dark," Regina said, taking the offered candle and placing it on the dining room table. Emma chuckled.

"To put it nicely. Unfortunately, you assume right. I'm from the city where a light's always on somewhere. When it gets dark here, it really gets dark. I guess I'm not used to it yet." It was quiet as Emma fixed tea cups and handed one to Regina before she lit a few more candles.

"I've been in Storybrook for years, and I am not sure if I ever got used to it either," Regina admitted, accepting the handful of Splenda packets. There was another silence as Emma came into the dining room with a small carton of cream and her own cup of tea.

"You warm enough?" Emma asked after another minute of silence. Even in the small amount of light, Regina could see the greens of Emma's eyes.

"I'm... I don't think this will be warm enough for very long," Regina admitted slowly. Emma could tell from the tone of the darker woman's voice that even that was hard to admit to, and decided not to say anything on it. After all, Regina didn't laugh at her for being 'uncomfortable' in the dark. _'Let's hope she doesn't use that against me later,'_ Emma thought to herself as she navigated the apartment in the dark. Strangely, she felt at home there with Mary Margaret. She hadn't lived there very long, maybe six months, but she felt more at home there than she had in her own apartment in Boston, where she had lived for almost four years.

A moment later, she came back. "I found two blankets and a Snoogie," she announced.

"I didnt know that sane people had those."

"I'm taking that as a compliment that you don't think I'm crazy," Emma said.

"Don't I?"

"Harr Harr," Emma let out. "I also found a deck of cards," she offered a second later. "You know any games?"

"I've been known to play a game or two, yes."

"If not, I can always teach you."

"Who says I won't have a game or two to teach you."

"No one," Emma responded quickly.

There was a grin from the mayor. "Are you prepared to lose, Miss Swan?"

"Cocky, aren't we?"

"Confident, dearie. They're two different things. I always win."

"I guess we'll have to see, now won't we?"

The next morning, Emma woke up to the sound of a groan next to her ear. She felt the same way. Slowly, she lifted her head from her spot on the floor of the living room. Regina, who was sleeping on the couh until a moment ago, did the same. Emma grinned when she realized that the older woman was wearing the Snoogie. Emma thought back to the night before. It was surpisingly fun with little to do but play rounds of poker, the loser having to tell a secret. Okay, so it was unclear when that particular rule came to play (probably after the booze came out), but Emma was treated to hours of baby stories about Henry. Emma got to know the boy she gave up, and she told Regina about the so called 'gang' she had been in back in Boston during her high school years. It surprised her how easily Emma had been able to open up to Regina (but again, that could have been because of the booze). The blonde had been rewarded when Regina laughed until her face was red when Emma told her about that aspect of her life.

Looking around, Emma saw the cards scattered around, as if they played a round of '52 Pick-up', Emma's favorite bonus round. There was a mostly empty bottle on the table next to two glasses and three snuffed out candles. Mary Margaret's oven clock blinked twelve o'clock, and for the life of her, Emma couldn't remember if it always did that. Digging into her pocket, she got out her cellphone. It was nearing 6:30. When she told Regina this, the other woman stood up and shucked the Snoogie.

"If I leave now, I can get home long enough to get Henry a change of clothing and make his lunch." Regina said this more to herself than to Emma, but the blonde nodded all the same.

"I can give you a ride to your car," she offered. When Regina turned to her, Emma was rewarded with a small smile.

"Thank you."

The two of them went their separate ways then, Regina to get her suit and Emma to the kitchen where she hurriedly cleaned up the tea. When Regina emerged with her suit on and a displeased look on her face at its wrinkled state, she helped Emma pick up the cards and fold the blankets. When Emma felt that she wouldn't get an earfull from Mary Margaret at the mess she had made, she got her keys. Regina followed her out to the yellow Bug. "I wondered if I'd get the chance to see what it was like in this coffin of a car, and it's just as cramped as I thought it would be."

"So you'd rather walk," Emma replied, even as she turned the key and started the engine. There was a chuckle to her right.

"Alright, I'll say no more. At least not until I'm safely in my sensible vehicle."

It was Emma's turn to laugh. "Sensible. Right. Says the wearer of the Snoogie."

"Hey, I will be the bigger person and admit that they are more comfortable than they look," Regina said. The two shared a smile when the sheriff spared a glance in Regina's direction. After a beat the mayor said, "I had fun, despite the circumstances."

"I'm fun," Emma protested, though the last person who actually told her that had been Henry's birth father.

"I had my doubts," Regina said in a teasing tone, "but I'd like to maybe do this again. You're welcome to come over sometime and help me teach Henry that game you showed me.'

"King's Corner?"

"Was that what it's called?" Regina asked. Emma nodded. "I was too far gone to remember."

"Yeah, and part of me wonders if we were even playing the right game, or- well, if somewhere down the line I just made stuff up." Emma pulled over right next to Regina's chic car, but she didn't cut the engine.

"That would explain a couple things," Regina said thoughtfully. There was a another shared look and then Regina said, "I mean it. We'll do this again- Soon."

"I'd love that. Thank you."

The darker woman opened the car door and struggled slightly to get out. Emma was certain she heard a curse word out of the mayor. "Thanks for the ride."

"No problem. We can be good at the teamwork thing, can't we?" Emma asked.

Regina smiled to the joger who greeted her, and then she leaned back down into the car door. "We'll see, Sheriff Swan." With that, the car door was shut and the mayor walked with her usual air of importance to her own car. Emma's eyes may or may not have followed her as she did. Emma stayed long enough to watch the mayor's car leave the empty parking lot, and then she steered her Bug back towards home. She figured she'd finish cleaning up before Mary Margaret got back. For some reason she could never explain, she didn't like to see her friend upset, and more so, she wanted to please her with little things like keeping her home clean. Emma smiled as she thought of this, and hoped there would be time enough to get in an extra hour of sleep before she, too, had to face the day. As her mind wound its way back to Regina and what she may or may not have offered her, she smirked and said, "I'm looking forward to it."


End file.
